(US, politics) To challenge an incumbent sitting politician for their political party's endorsement to run for re-election, through running a challenger campaign in a primary election

Origin

Borrowing from LatinprÄ«mÄrius ("of the firstâ€, â€œof the first rankâ€, â€œchiefâ€, â€œprincipalâ€, â€œexcellent"), from prÄ«mus (â€œfirstâ€; whence the English adjective prime) + -Ärius (whence the English suffix -ary); compare the Frenchprimaire, primer, and premier.

Sentence Examples

You guys are his primary target and don't ever forget it for a minute.

No. It's a tip from me because Brenda Washington was an employee of the tip call-in center and her primary job was fielding calls from the person I represent.

He didn't think the memory was enough of a punishment for taking the life of an innocent human, but he was constrained again by the primary mission of the Guardians to protect humanity against evil, deserving or not.

In spite of it, support was heavy for the school's primary sport.

"August is only the primary," Dean answered, but they both knew in the near one-party County of Ouray, that was tantamount to the final election.